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The San Francisco 49ers let another game get away on Sunday to drop to 5-5 on the season. Kyle Shanahan and company completed the trifecta of heartbreaking losses against each of their division rivals with a last-second 20-17 loss against the Seattle Seahawks.
With the loss, the 49ers are now one game back of the Arizona Cardinals for the top spot in the NFC West and are in a three-way tie for second place with the Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams. For the 49ers, that feels like a bit of a missed opportunity considering how many winnable games they have let slip away.
Dropping that many close division games puts the 49ers in rare air in the NFL, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN.
“According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 49ers have three divisional losses when leading in the final two minutes of regulation, which is tied for the most such losses by a team in a season since the 1970 merger,” Wagoner wrote. “San Francisco’s three late-game letdowns have come in just four chances, and the Niners are tied with the 2001 Carolina Panthers, 2000 Los Angeles Chargers, 1996 Baltimore Ravens and 1994 Washington Commanders as the only teams to have that many defeats in those situations on the résumé.”
Those three games, which have been defined by poor kicking, bad turnovers and special teams blunders, could potentially cost the 49ers a chance at winning the division and making the playoffs. If they do, it will be a massive disappointment for a team with Super Bowl expectations.
49ers offense missing something in 2024
The 49ers have become known for being one of the most explosive, high-flying offenses in the NFL under Kyle Shanahan. In 2024, this unit hasn’t felt lie the same group of inevitable world-beaters like usual.
Injuries certainly play a large part in that. The 49ers just got Christian McCaffrey back and all of the top pass catchers on the team have been in and out of the lineup. Brandon Aiyuk is out, Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings have missed time, and George Kittle didn’t play on Sunday.
Brock Purdy has played well and has carried the offense at times this season, but this unit doesn’t have the explosive element that it has thrived on in past years. McCaffrey doesn’t seem to have the same burst as he did before his injury and Samuel is also not creating any of those plays. There’s a chance McCaffrey gets that back as the weeks go on, but that might be the 49ers’ only hope at regaining that dangerous element to their offense.
The schedule isn’t doing Shanahan and his guys any favors. Most of their remaining games are going to be tight affairs, with matchups against the Packers, Rams, Cardinals, Bills and Lions. If the likely goal to reach the postseason is 10 wins, the 49ers have a lot of work to do in order to get there.
More must-reads:
- Chargers suffer tremendous blow with OL Joe Alt out for season
- Ravens acquire edge-rusher to further bolster attempted second-half surge
- The 'NFL Passing YPG leaders' quiz
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Cowboys receive significant boost with last-minute decision ahead of Monday Night Football showdown vs Cardinals
The Dallas Cowboys are about to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football to close out Week 9 of the 2025 NFL regular season. As always, the teams announced their inactive players 90 minutes before kickoff. For the Cowboys, the main takeaway lies at the safety position. One week after being down to one healthy safety, things are looking slightly better. Donovan Wilson is out again with a shoulder/elbow injury but Juanyeh Thomas is back after being listed as questionable on the final injury report. Thomas is the Cowboys' third-best safety and he's played well in limited playing time, to the point many believe he should be promoted to a starting role over Wilson. Over the last couple of weeks, Thomas dealt with migraines that affected his vision. Now, he is back. Though the Cowboys are still very banged up at safety, Thomas' return should go a long way in Week 9. Perhaps he will be tasked with covering standout tight end Trey McBride. In the last two weeks, McBride has 18 catches for 146 receiving yards and three touchdowns. If not, Thomas could help bracketing WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Either way, it's important he's on the field for tonight's game and I'd expect him to start. He may not be a star but Thomas back on the field is a big boost given the team's situation on defense. Full list of Cowboys' inactives for Week 9 vs Cardinals S Alijah Clark S Donovan Wilson OL Ajani Cornelius OL Hakeem Adeniji DT Mazi Smith RB Jaydon Blue WR Jonathan Mingo Other notes on Cowboys' inactives After Brian Schottenheimer made comments about Jaydon Blue's inconsistency, he's a healthy scratch. He's benched over Malik Davis. Starting center Cooper Beebe is back and ready to go. LB DeMarvion Overshown and CB Shavon Revel Jr. remain on Injured Reserve even though they're back at practice. LB Jack Sanborn isn't among the Cowboys' inactives because he was placed on Injured Reserve leading up to the game. Being down safeties Alijah Clark and Donovan Wilson leaves the team with very little depth at safety. Don't be surprised if Dallas works cornerbacks into the position. The battle at nose tackle continues. This time, it's seventh-round rookie Jay Toia taking over the position while Mazi Smith returns to healthy scratch status ahead of the NFL trade deadline. If Dallas can get any interest on their former first-round pick, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's moved. Easier said than done, however. Cardinals inactives This story was originally published in A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys, as Cowboys receive significant boost with last-minute decision ahead of Monday Night Football showdown vs Cardinals. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
Giants RB Cam Skattebo Announces Career News on Monday
Cam Skattebo watched on as Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants dropped a third-straight game, falling to 2-7 on the 2025 NFL season after a 34-24 loss to Mac Jones and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9. Now, the Giants will look to end the drought in Week 10, hitting the road to face Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. Skattebo, the Giants’ fourth-round pick out of Arizona State, has been one of the NFL’s most exciting rookies this season. Through his first eight games, he recorded 410 rushing yards and five touchdowns, along with 24 receptions for 207 yards and two more scores. However, his season came to an end in Week 8 against the Eagles after he suffered a dislocated ankle, fractured fibula, and ruptured deltoid ligament. But the season-ending injury hasn’t stopped Skattebo from making business moves off the field. On Monday, the New York running back announced a partnership with Lovesac, a modern furniture company known for its “StealthTech” design, which integrates speakers and wireless chargers directly into its furniture. The company has previously partnered with several high-profile athletes, including Bills safety Damar Hamlin and snowboarding legend Shaun White. "Run through a wall, then relax and vibe on my Lovesac StealthTech," Skattebo said. "That's my gameplan." Included in Skattebo's social media post was himself relaxing on his Lovesac StealthTech, playing some NBA 2K with the surround sound on. "All the way up ," Skattebo wrote on Instagram. "@lovesac Sactionals with StealthTech surround sound takes gaming and relaxation to a whole new level #lovesacpartner" Skattebo now expands his business portfolio, which includes partnerships with big brands such as Nike, Raising Cane's and Logitech. And while he continues his lengthy recovery, awaiting his next shot in the 2026 NFL season, the Giants turn their attention next matchup against the Bears on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Maple Leafs get boost for the long term with latest roster news
The Toronto Maple Leafs perhaps did not expect to start the season like this, with a record of 6-5-1, but it's a result of the offensive adjustments the team has been forced to make. Head coach Craig Berube lost star Mitch Marner to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in the summer, so he had to reorganize roles and defensive responsibilities, impacting players like winger William Nylander. Nylander, 29, who is entering his second year of an eight-season deal with a cap hit of $11.5M, said on Monday that he is ready to play again after suffering a lower-body injury. Nylander practiced in the right wing of the second line with prospect Easton Cowan and John Tavares, per TSN's Mark Masters. That is not only good news for the Maple Leafs' upcoming games, but also for the long term. Why William Nylander is so important in Craig Berube's system Since the departure of Marner, Nylander has absorbed more volume of creation, passes in the offensive zone, controlled zone entries and shooting threat from the half-walls. This is reflected in his numbers to date, as he boasts 15 points in nine games played. Berube has asked for more shot volume and quick decisions, which favors Nylander, who also generates a significant impact in five-on-five. His mix of controlled entries, patience in the low circles and reading of the weak side stretches rival defenses, which allows for creating routes for Tavares and Cowan. Furthermore, in the first power play unit, the threat of Nylander's one-timer forces the closure of pass lines towards the bumper and the backdoor, opening clean shots for Auston Matthews, another key player for Berube. The most probable scenario is that Nylander continues being a primary offensive engine and stabilizes the power play. If he maintains entry success and increases his shot rate, Toronto could compensate for the departure of Marner.
Seahawks GM's comments offer clue at potential NFL trade deadline partners
If there was any question about whether the Seattle Seahawks should be buyers or sellers going into the NFL trade deadline, last night's crushing victory over the Washington Commanders answered it. After eight games played, Seattle has a top-five scoring offense, a top-five scoring defense and a special teams unit that's making high-impact plays routine. That gives the Seahawks all the reason in the world to be aggressive at the trade deadline, and the latest reporting suggests that's exactly what they're going to do. General manager John Schneider may have offered a hint in his pre-game radio hit with KIRO, saying that the Seahawks spoke with teams at the Maryland-Indiana game on Saturday. That give us an idea of who they might be dealing with, based on the reports of the other teams who sent personnel to that game. That includes the San Francisco 49ers, the New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers, the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Commanders, who may have had some extra face time with the Seahawks during last night's game. We can safely cross the 49ers off the list of potential trade partners, but we can't do that with any others. The one question mark is the Panthers - and nobody seems to know which way they're leaning. Carolina is a surprise 5-4 after shocking the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but the gap between the Panthers and the NFC teams currently on pace for a playoff spot is pretty massive. That makes the Jets, Browns and Commanders the most likely candidates to make a deal with the Seahawks from this list but we also have to assume they're talking with other teams. Pete Carroll's Raiders are another obvious potential trade partner based on their relationship and the fact that they're 2-6 going into the deadline. The Seahawks have also had a long history of making deals with the Philadelphia Eagles, who need cornerback help an have reportedly been considering a deal for Riq Woolen. On that note, the math may have changed last night due to the injuy to Josh Jobe, who was ruled out early with a concussion. Woolen responded with his best game of the season - which might be just enough to convince the Seahawks to keep him around for the playoffs.
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